Looking ahead for Hesperia in 2014

Thursday

HESPERIA • The sound of construction will be heard throughout 2014, as Hesperia continues to expand its infrastructure and lure new businesses.

City officials say the Ranchero Interchange project continues to move toward its expected completion in the fall. The $59 million project broke ground in January 2013.

The seven-lane bridge over Interstate 15 will include realigned frontage roads, utility relocation, flood control improvements, traffic signals and other improvements.

The project will provide an alternate east-west route in the High Desert and should help to alleviate congestion on Main Street and Bear Valley Road.

The city should see more development coming forward near the Ranchero Interchange, as the estimated October or November completion of the project draws near.

"We're making progress every day with the interchange," Mayor Thurston "Smitty" Smith said. "It's exciting to see how it's developing and we're hoping our commuters are excited too."

The city is currently reviewing a plan by Primaco Inc. to construct an 84-room Embassy Suites Hotel and a 128-room Residence Inn Hotel with a 7,500-square-foot clubhouse and three restaurants. The project will sit just north of Ranchero Road.

Smith said the city is also looking forward to starting work on Fire Station 301 on 11th Avenue just south of Main Street.

"The job went out to bid, but it came back too high," Smith said. "Hopefully we'll get a new bid that will fall closer to the $3.8 million we have set aside. Once we approve the bid, it'll be about 18 months before it's open."

Built in 1965, the city's oldest fire station was closed in January 2012 due to drastic reduction in property tax revenues to the Hesperia Fire District over the past several years. The district laid off nine fire safety personnel and shut down the station, which is in need of drastic repair. With a $2 million Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant from FEMA, the city was able to rehire firefighters for a two-year period.

Firefighters currently working out of stations 304 and 305 will be moving into temporary housing at the 301 site. Construction of a 7,400-square-foot fire station and a 4,800-square-foot apparatus bay is planned for station 301, city spokeswoman Rachel Molina said.

On the housing front, the city issued 24 new housing permits since July, with an additional five permits pending approval. Over the previous three years, there had been no single-family home permits issued, according to the city.

The City Council has temporarily lowered development fees with the hope that it will bring more interest from single-family-home builders in the coming year.

As infrastructure improves and new homes begin to slowly spring up, business developers have taken notice. A new Wing Stop on Main Street recently opened its doors, and Panda Express and Vallarta market will open by spring.

As the terms of Smith and council members Bill Holland and Russ Blewett end in November, voters will head to the polls to fill the three council seats.

To cap off its yearlong silver anniversary celebration, the city will bury a 25th anniversary time capsule in the spring, with Hesperia students and community members making suggestions for contents that will be placed in the capsule.

Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com.

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